Cane stripper and cleaner.



No. 646,908. Patented Apr. 3, |900.

J. B. HOUSE.

' CANE STRIPPER AND CLEANR.

(Application led Dec. 30, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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i llivirnn STATES PATENT OFFICE..

JULIA B. HOUSE, OF LEXINGTON, MISSISSIPPI, ASSIGNOR OFONE-IIALF TO VILLIAM F. PAI-ILEN AND CHARLES O. PAHLEN, OF SAME PLACE.

CANE sTmPPER `AND CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming* part Of Letters Patent N O. 646,908,v dated April 3, 19O. Application led December 30, 1898. Serial No. 700,756. (Nc'model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that 1,- JULIA B. HOUSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Holmes and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Cane Stripper and Cleaner, of which the followingis a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in cane strippers and cleaners.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of cane strippers and cleaners and to providea simple and comland novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a cane stripper and cleaner constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. et is a detail view of the stationary knife.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a frame designed to be arranged in advance of a cane-mill and provided at one side with upper and lower pintles 2, whereby it is adapted to be swung around from in front of the mill to afford access to the rollers thereof when desired, and the other side of the frame is provided with an extension 3, forming an attaching flange adapted to receive a bolt or other suitable fastening device for holding the cane stripper and cleaner in operative position. The frame, which is designed to be constructed of cast metal or other suitable material, is substantially rectangular and is provided at intervals with horizontal bars 4, arranged between the top 5 and bottom 6 and secured to or formed integral with the sides of the frame. The top andbottom of the frame are provided with grooves 7 and S, and the horizontal bars 4 are provided at their upper and lower edges with grooves or` recesses 9, which are completed to form ways by detachable bars 10, which afford access to the stationary knife 11 and the movable knives 12 to enable the same to be readily removed to sharpen them or to supply new ones. Y

The stationary knife, which is centrally arranged, eXteuds from the top to the bottom of the frame, and is provided at opposite sides with curved engaging edges 13 to coperate with the movable knives 12. The movable knives, which are mounted in the ways of the frame, have concave engaging edges, and their inner faces 14 are beveled to correspond with beveled portions 15 of the stationary knife, whereby the knives are adapted to overlap and vary the `size of the openings formed by their concave engaging' edges, which .are beveled outwardly, to enable the cane to be readily introduced between them.

The movable knives, which are yieldingly mounted,^are located at opposite sides of' the centrally-arranged stationary knife and are provided with horizontal stems 17, extending outwardly from the movable knives and arrangedin perforations or sockets 18 of the sides of the frame. Ooiled springs 19 are disposed on the stems and interposed between the movable knives and disks or washers 20, and in order to enable the tension of the springs to be regulated hollow adjusting-screws 21 are employed and engage interior threads of the sockets 18. The outer ends of the stems are adapted to vibrate in the hollow screws 21 and the inner ends of the latter bear against the disks 0r washers and force the springs in the direction of the movable jaws.

The frame is designed to be arranged as close to the rolls of a cane-mill as practicable to reduce to a minimum the distance it is necessary to move the cane by hand to cause it to be engaged by the rolls which operate to pull the cane through the stripper and cleaner.

` In passing through the stripper and cleaner IOC) the cane is supported by horizontal flanges or extensions 22, extending inward in the direction of the mill and located at the back of the frame above and below the openings formed by the knives.

The invention has the following advantages: The cane stripper and cleaner is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction. It is adapted to be arranged in front of a cane-mill, so that the cane will be drawn through it by the said mill, and it is capable of accommodating cane of different sizes and of thoroughly stripping the same of the blades and portions at the juncture of the same and the stalk. The tension ofl the springs may be readily regulated, the knives can be easily removed, and the frame is adapted to be swung out of the way to afford access to the rollers of a cane-mill.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacric ing any of the advantages of this invention.

What is claimed is- 1. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a stationary knife, a knife movable toward and away from the stationary knife, a stem on the movable knife, an actuating-spring encircling said stem, and a hollow adjusting-screw receiving said stem and carrying seat for the spring, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a stationary knife with opposite cutting edges, movable knives at opposite sides of the stationary knife moving in rectilinear paths, stems on the/movable knives, actuating-springs coiled around said stems, and hollow adjusting-screws receiving said stems and carrying seats for the springs, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a stationary knife provided with opposite cutting edges, knives at opposite sides of the stationary knife movable in rectilinear paths toward and away from each other and the stationary knife, all of the knives being mounted in a common plane, actuating-springs on the stems, and hollow adjusting-screws receiving the stems and providing seats for the springs, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myown I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JULIA n. HoUsE. 

